Integrated circuit nanowires

1. A method for producing encapsulated nanowires, comprising: providing a substrate having a surface layer; patterning the surface layer to form nanometer-sized features; disposing a conductive material in the nanometer-sized features using a metal precursor conveyed in a supercritical carbon dioxide to form nanowires on the substrate; removing the surface layer; and forming one or more insulating monolayers to entirely encapsulate the nanowires, wherein forming each of the one or more insulating monolayers includes disposing a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) including octadecylsiloxane (ODS) at a temperature of less than about 350° C. and oxidizing the ODS by an exposure of ultraviolet radiation.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the surface layer comprises a photoresist layer and wherein patterning the surface layer comprises performing lithography to pattern the photoresist layer.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein performing lithography comprises performing one of nanoimprint lithography, electron beam lithography or extreme ultraviolet photolithography.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the insulating material comprises silicon dioxide.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the conductive material comprises copper, aluminum, tungsten, or any combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the surface layer comprises a stressed silicon dioxide layer and wherein patterning the surface layer comprises forming nanometer-sized cracks in the stressed silicon dioxide layer.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising: patterning the substrate prior to disposing the surface layer on the substrate.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein disposing the conductive material in the nanometer-sized features comprises disposing the metal in the nanometer-sized cracks.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein disposing the conductive material in the nanometer-sized features comprises disposing the conductive material in the nanometer-sized features at temperatures of less than about 350° C.